A healthy amount of Magic: The Gathering first-pick cards were designed for Lost Caverns of Ixalan Draft, giving Limited decks a buff toward victory with some potential bombs.
Unlike the previous MTG Standard-legal set releases, the Lost Caverns of Ixalan (LCI) set didn’t have a bonus sheet of reprinted cards, cutting down on the potential bombs within the Limited format. Limited Draft bombs are a select few cards that give your build a boost in power, often considered win-condition cards. In addition to the top picks, there are many solid low-rarity cards to pick and craft around within the LCI format.
Top Lost Caverns of Ixalan Draft bombs
Bombs are a first-pick card upon cracking your first Draft pack. They are also potential first picks from packs two and three, especially if it benefits another player in your Draft pod. This strategy doesn’t apply to MTG Arena, though, as you aren’t likely to get matched up with a player from your Draft pod.
Each of the LCI Draft bombs are early predictions heading into prerelease events that start on Nov. 10 and the digital launch of Lost Caverns of Ixalan on Nov. 14. Some entries may change after I participate in the Early Access event for Lost Caverns of Ixalan.
Tinker’s Tote
Tinker’s Tote won’t win a match outright as an Uncommon rarity Artifact in White, but it’s a great first pick that I don’t recommend sleeping on. The three-drop has everything the color White wants to do in an LCI Draft, from Artifact synergy and creating two extra bodies upon ETB to gaining three life when it’s sacrificed.
Subterranean Schooner
Artifacts are a major theme within LCI Draft, and Subterranean Schooner is a solid first pick to hit those synergies with. The Vehicle only costs one to Crew and the creatures that Crewed it get to Explore as a bonus. Subterranean Schooner is best within the UW Draft archetype.
Ojer Pakpatiq, Deepest Epoch
The color Green has decent creatures with Reach but Oijer Pakpatiq, Deepest Epoch is still a solid four-drop Flyer. In a UR or UB build, the God becomes a powerhouse through the Rebound mechanic, letting you cast the Instant spell again the next upkeep. If it dies, the God becomes a land, with the potential of reanimating itself later on in a match.
Preacher of the Schism
Much like Tinker’s Tote doing everything a player wants from a card in White, Preacher of the Schism does for players in the color Black. The Vampire Cleric has a solid body 2/4 body for blocking with Deathtouch. Preacher of the Schism can also work on the offensive, rewarding you for attacking a player with higher health by creating a 1/1 Lifelink token.
Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal
Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal is another God worth picking first in LCI Draft, having Flying and Lifelink on a 4/4 body for only five total mana. The Bat God can also force players to discard cards from hand, or allow you to draw a card. It can also create a 1/1 token with Flying and can transform back into itself after becoming a land fairly easily.
Abrade
The return of Abrade is a big deal within the LCI Limited format. Artifacts are in abundance and Abrade is a cheap removal spell that is great to have on hand. I even recommend splashing Red if given the chance to pick up Abrade and it isn’t in your colors. And if it can’t target an Artifact, it can always take out a creature with three or less toughness.
Bonehoard Dracosaur
Evasive creatures like Bonehoard Dracosaur can swing matches with keywords like First Strike and Flying on a 5/5 body. The Dinosaur Dragon also provides card advantage while creating a 3/1 token if you discard a land, and a Treasure Token if it’s a non-land card.
Huatli, Poet of Unity//Roar of the Fifth People
Huatli, Poet of Unity isn’t of much use as a creature, but she can solve mana-fixing problems. And on turn five at a cost of five mana (two hybrid Red/White), she turns into Roar of the Fifth People, a powerful Saga that supports the RG Dinosaur archetype.
Poison Dart Frog
The color Green is strong when it can ramp into larger creatures, which is exactly what Poison Dart Frog does. The bomb Uncommon Frog can also gain Deathtouch as an activated ability, giving the two-drop value during the later stages of a match.
Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon
The Rare LCI signpost for RW, Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon, is the ideal first pick to build an aggressive Limited deck around. The soldier also synergizes with Artifacts by creating Gnome Artifact tokens. And Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon can pop off quickly if played on Curve, followed by Ironpaw Aspirant on turn four, leaving mana up if needed.
Chimil, the Inner Sun
Chimil, the Inner Sun is a great top-end Artifact that can cast most non-land spells for free, and opponents can’t counter them. They can, however, counter the Legendary Artifact. In a deck built around Chimil, the Inner Sun, you’ll consistently put pressure on your opponent after casting the Mythic Rare Artifact.
Update Nov. 10 4:50pm CT: All entries were updated following participation in the Lost Caverns of Ixalan Early Access MTG Arena event.
